Knife sharpener



Nov. 4, 1952 J. L.' MURRAY 2,616,231

' KNIFE SHARPENER Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 INVENTOR. JEROM E MURRAY Y awww Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE KNIFE SHARPENER Jerome L. Murray, Stamford, Conn.

Original application August 29, 1947, Serial No.

771,176. Divided and this application September 16, 1949, Serial No. 122,810

. 4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for home and kitchen use although certain features thereof have other uses.

This application is a division of my copending patent application, Serial No. 771,176, led August 29, 1947.

An object of the invention is a novel and improved power driven unit for sharpening kitchen knives and the like.

Further objects and the entire scope of the invention in this divisional application will be further apparent from the following detailed description and from the appended claims.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section diagrammatically illustrating a power unit with which `this invention can be used.

l Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in section through a knife sharpening unit embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of a part thereof.

The invention disclosed and claimed in this application relates to a unit for sharpeningknives and the like. This knife sharpening device or unit is intended for use and in combination with a magnetic power unit of the type disclosed and claimed in my above mentioned copending application. A brief description of the power device will be set forth in this application to provide the necessary understanding of that device. However, a complete description of the power device may be had with reference to the above mentioned copending application.

The power device I (Fig. 1) comprises a suitablev casing having, in the particular embodiment shown, three cylindrical portions or parts 4, 5 and which are integrally formed as parts or portions of a single casing. The portions 4, 5 and 6 are formed of different diameters with the portion 4 having the larger diameter, the portion 5 a smaller diameter and the portion 6 of smaller diameter than the intermediate portion 5 and these portions are joined respectively to each other by the flange or shoulder portions 1 and 8. The power device I also comprises an electric motor housed in the bottom portion of the casing which motor is suitably geared to a vertical spindle or shaft II) for driving the latter at a reduced speed. This shaft is disposed centrally of the casing.

The spindle or shaft IIJ thus being driven by the motive power carries and drives a magnetic driving element I I comprising a bar or main body part I2 and upwardly projecting polar parts I3 integrally formed at the ends of the main body part I2. The main body part I2 of the driving magnetic element is fastened to the spindle or shaft I6 in driving relation therewith and the upwardly projecting polar parts I3 are disposed at equal distances from the axis of the spindle or drive shaft I0. This driving magnetic element II may be of any suitable construction.

The driving spindle I6 may be provided at its upper portion and exteriorly thereof with a low pitch thread I5 and the body part I2 of the driving element can be provided with an opening therethrough having a similar` low pitch thread I6 formed in the wall of the opening therethrough for cooperation with the low pitch thread I5. In the full line position shown, the driving magnetic element is in the position corresponding to the stationary or de-energized position of the electric motor. In the dash line position, the driving magnetic element I| is in operative position to drive the food preparing element 2, namely with the end surfaces of the poles I3 disposed as close thereto as is practicable. In this dash line position, the element is held against further upward movement by a nut I'I fastened to the upper screw threaded end of the spindle II), and the rotation of the shaft I6 is in a direction to tend to hold the element in that position.

In Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, I have illustrated my invention as applied to the grinding or sharpening of knives and other similar instruments. This knife sharpening means comprises an annular casing having a bottom |6| which is shown in the particular embodiment as being integral with the annular casing |60. Within the annular casing |66 and mounted on the bottom |6| are disposed a pair of spaced frames or journal blocks |62 and |63 and in these bearing brackets or blocks are journaled a pair of shafts |64 and |65. These shafts |64 and |65 are axially alined and carry respectively grinding or sharpening discs |66 and |61, these discs being carried on the inner ends of the shafts and being relatively yieldingly biased to bear against each other at the central parts of their opposed faces. The discs are beveled on their inner and opposed faces so as to provide faces which gradually and slightly recede from each other from their central points |68 to their peripheries. This is for the purpose of receiving the instrument to be sharpened as, for example, a knife, a portion of The discs |66 and |61 may bedrivennin the same or opposite directions but preferably'i'the`v opposite direction as providediirnthembodinem;

shown. For this purpose thsh'a-ftsi anda |.65 carry on their outer ends magnetically drivenele. ments |12 and |13 respectively, these magnetically driven elements being fastened in any suit-V ablemanner, to the outer:o1/erhangingA ends of, the shafts. The arrangemehtfissuch thatthe'lmagr netically' drivenl mem'bers'- |125 and' |13; are actuf ated by the. drivingV element" |fl having; the: polar projections 1 3,v Preferably'- thedifivent magnetic elements |12 and |13`are"permanentjmagnetsand arein the; fQrmxofbars wife the lettrsaapd'. indicating theY northv and' south lpoles of the mage nets. Similarly, the polar P IQections' llare marked 'Ny and S to' indicata thejfpolarityv; of the drivingmagnet. Withthis arrangement 'each of the shafts 6,4i andV 65fis driven atthe saine speed as: the driving element |^'|'A andjthegudrivenelements are driven synchronouslyV Withj thev driving magnet, I. The casing |605,15,providedwithrany suitable coverr |15 andlfthe` latter` is provided" With a slot |16 in line with the innerl faces ofthe discs |66 and |61 soV as to permit'the introduction of the instrumentl |69 to be sharpened and the free manipulation thereof, the slot. preferably extending all-the Way or nearly all' theY Way` across the cover disc |15.

It is only necessary to, placet a knife sharpening meansshovvn in Figs;` 2'vt'o 4, inclusive, upon the upper end 6 of the casing of the povverdevice and energize theelectric motor for driving` the driving element andthe sharpening disc/s'` |66 and |61.

Itis noted that with theinvention illustrated in Figs; 2l to 4', inclusive', the sharpening device is self centered upon the power device byreason of the centering action of the` magnet exerted by the driving element upon the driven elements |12 and |13.

I claim:

l. A Aknife sharpeningunit' adapted to removably rest upon the top Vof a magneticfdriving device of the type having adriving magnet rotatfable beneath theV said top, lthe unit comprising a frame 'havingv arbottom; adapted toY rest on the said top of the drivingdevice,l a pair of aligned shafts journalled inthe frame in a plane substantiallyparallel to the said bottom of the frame, sharpening disks mounted on adjacent endsA of the aligned' shafts in abutting relationship, and driven magnetic member's'mounted on the outer ends of the aligned shafts, the magnetici driven members having northand 'southl poles, thedriven members being so positioned when saidunit'is on said top sorthat saidpoles interact with the poles of .the rotating driving magnet to rotate 4 the sharpening disks as the driving magnet is rotated.

2. A knife sharpening unit adapted to rest on the top of a casing with a rotatable driving permanent magnet located beneath the top of said casing, the unit including a frame means with a bgttrriadepted t9 rest ontbeten Qfaid casing overfsaid, notatabale driving? mag-rieti a pair of aligned shafts rotatably held in said frame means and substantially parallel to said bottom, knife sharpening discs mounted on adjacent ends of s ad'; aligned shafts and in abutting relationship,r and, a permanent magnet driven means mounted on each' of 'saidshafts, each of said driven means havinangrthandseuth poles and being positionech abovesadi rotatable driving magnet when saidz unit. ia Qn. said top so as to interact with said: rotatable driving magnet to rotate said shafts and sharpening discs.

3. A knifevsharpening unitI adapted to rest on the topoffA a; casing with a. drivingpermanent magnet rotatable about a-naxis, said driving magnet being located beneath the top ofsaid casing; 'thel unitA including fra-me mea-ns having aI bottom adapted to reston the top'- of saidfcase ingand over said rotatable driving magnet, a pain o ff'knife' sharpening'- discs rotatablyL mounted on saidframemeansV on substantially alignedf` axes ina plane substantially.,perpendicular 4toethe axis ofsaid driving magnet! when said7 frame ispositioned"r on said casing, and apermanenti-magnet driven means connected-td eachjoflsaid sharpening discs a-ndrotatable therewith., eachof'saiddriven` means-having northfandisouthpoles interacting -with saidrotatable driving magnetemeans as it` rota-tes so as`V to impart: impulsestosaid driven means and to rotatesaidf sharpeningdiscs.

' lz A knife sharpening unit-adapted torestev on the top of acasing,l hai'fing,` atop surface, and a drivingmagnet vvithnorth and south poles rotatable beneath saidJ top surfaceY and rotatable about Aan axis iintersecting said surface, theunit comprising, av` frame means restable-onsaid: top surface, a pair: ofalignedrshaft means ,mounted on saidl frame means and locat'ed-in a planesubg stantially, perpendicular to the bottom of-A said frame-When the-frameis'V positioned on said-surface, driven magnet v-meanslocated oneach-bf said shaft *means` having north4v and' south-l poles rotatable,v about-theaxis offsaidi shaft means, 'said driven magnetmeans having impulses imparted thereto: by=fsaid drivingmagnet to y rotate` said shaft means, andapairof sharpening discs mounted-Hin;v abuttingJ relationship onadjacent ends' ofY said-shaft mea-,nsf

JEnoMEiL: MURRAY.-

REFERENCES CITED Thafollowing, references .arey of record the le, Otth patent:

UNTIEQ'I STAT; PATENTS;

Number-1. Name -v Date 213,807@ Carlisle' Apk-1; 1879 288,099.2-A Myers., l Nov-6'; 1883 61639091: Erri;r Jan?.1 3, 1899 1,863,854; Jeifery- June 21, '1932 1,921,053.91 Remington.. Aug. 8,1 1933 2,168,596 Hall:` Aug..8,1939 2,350,534.A Rosinger. June 6, 1944 

